Shut out in the first quarter and turnover-prone throughout, the Flathead Bravettes had to wait until the second half for positives in their 49-25 girls’ basketball loss to Missoula Hellgate Tuesday.

The host team rebounded well and defended strongly enough, but that 28-5 deficit wasn’t going to be erased.

“We started out the game with six turnovers in a row,” Flathead coach Tricia Dean noted. “We dug a hole you’re just not going to get out of against a good team like Hellgate.”

Flathead committed eight turnovers and got up seven shots in the first quarter, and trailed 10-0. Eventually Clare Converse broke the ice with a bucket at 5:16 of the second quarter, and then Jenna Johnson bombed in a three 35 seconds before halftime.

The Knights are young, playing six sophomores and a freshman in its first eight. It used to be Hellgate was that young and on the opposite side of such scores, but the freshman (Alex Covill) stands 6-4 and had 11 points and 10 rebounds off the bench.

Perry Paffhausen led the Knights (6-1, 2-1 in the Western AA) with 12 points and fellow sophomore Bailee Sayler added 10.

Converse – another sophomore – had seven points and seven rebounds for the Bravettes (2-4, 1-2 in league). Senior Jenna Johnson led the team with nine points.

Following its initial bobbles Flathead ran its offense well enough to get open looks but still shot less than 25 percent from the floor.

“Progressively we got better shots and felt more comfortable in our offense,” Dean said. “We’re just not knocking them down.”

Johnson’s total was made up of three 3-pointers. The Bravettes’ next game is another Western AA battle, with Butte. It’s part of a doubleheader: The girls’ game tips off at 5:30 p.m. followed by the boys’ game at approximately 7.

Hellgate 10 18 11 10 — 49

Flathead 0 5 11 9 — 25

MISSOULA HELLGATE (6-1, 2-1) – Kinsey Henthorn 1-3 0-0 3, Bailee Sayler 4-11 2-2 10, Lauren Dick 1-3 1-2 3, Perry Paffhausen 5-9 0-0 12, Addy Heaphy 1-5 0-0 2, Kennedy McCorkle 2-4 1-2 5, Alex Covill 5-5 1-2 11, Keke Davis 1-5 1-2 3, Izzy Hage 0-3 0-0 0, Austynn Covill 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 20-49 6-9 49. 3-point goals 3-16 (Paffhausen 2-4, Henthorn 1-3). Fouls 12. Rebounds 34 (Al.Covill 10). Steals 14 (Henthorn 3, Dick 3). Blocks 5 (Sayler 3, Al. Coville 2). Turnovers 13.

FLATHEAD (1-2, 2-4) – Clare Converse 3-10 0-0 7, Jenna Johnson 3-11 0-0 9, Akilah Kubi 2-6 0-0 4, Kenedy Kanter 1-4 0-0 2, Emily Lembke 0-1 0-0 0, Maddy Moy 1-5 1-1 3, Bridget Crowley 0-3 0-0 0, Ivy Gannon 0-0 0-2 0, Kuyra Siegel 0-1 0-0 0, Mollly Winters 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 10-42 1-3 25. 3-point goals 4-18 (Johnson 3-9, Converse 1-3). Fouls 11. Rebounds 32 (Converse 7). Steals 9 (Moy 3). Blocks 3 (Johnson 2, Kubi). Turnovers 23.

Boys

Hellgate 72, Flathead 32

MISSOULA — The Hellgate boys built a similarly large lead, 46-21 at halftime, and stayed unbeaten (7-0 overall, 3-0 in the Western AA).

Rollie Worster’s 24 points led the Knights,

Joston Cripe led the Braves (1-5, 1-2) with nine points.

Flathead 8 13 5 6 — 32

Hellgate 27 19 21 5 — 72

FLATHEAD – Joston Cripe 9, Cooper Smith 6, Gabe Adams 6, Tannen Beyl 5, Hunter Hickey 4, Ezra Epperly 2.

MISSOULA HELLGATE (7-0, 3-0) – Rollie Worster 24, Cam LaRance 14, Abe Johnson 13, Wes Salonen 2, Beckett Arthur 9, Kade Mcwilliams 2, Brandon Coladonato 3, Josh Wade 5.